Become a Paul Revere

Everyone has a sphere of influence. It may be five people or it may be five thousand, but each of us can speak out, participate in the debate, and be an influence on those around us. Sometimes it will be at the coffee shop or the little league game, but wherever you are, look for an opportunity to politely plant seeds of the principles that made America great.

Just as Paul Revere rode all night to warn “the British are coming,” you and I must consistently warn our friends, family, and fellow countrymen that the greatness of America is in danger of being lost.

I admit that I am encouraging you to get involved for a very selfish reason. It is because I know what you do will impact and affect my children. Whether or not Trey, Reagan, Kamryn, and Rhett enjoy freedom throughout their lifetimes will depend not just on what my wife and I do, but on what you do in your community as well. We are in this together.

John Hancock, who was one of the Founders largely responsible for the early days of the American Revolution, said: “I conjure you, by all that is dear, by all that is honorable, by all that is sacred; not only that ye pray, but that ye act.”

We need to be careful that we are not so caught up enjoying the Blessings of liberty that we ignore the price, the burden necessary, for that freedom.

Some of us think that because we have the Constitution we do not need to be involved—our freedoms are already protected by the document. Here’s an answer to that thinking from John Francis Mercer, a Maryland delegate to the Constitution Convention. He said,

It is a great mistake to suppose that the paper we are to compose will govern the United States. It is the men who we will bring into the government, and the interest they have in maintaining it that is to govern them. The paper will only mark out the mode and the form, the men are the substance and must do the business.

You might recall the left leaning Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional a few years ago. In Newdow v. U.S. Congress, the Ninth Circuit quotes only one line from the Constitution; the decision ignores the men that drafted the document and focuses on the men and women who have handed down judicial decisions during the last forty years. It does not matter how well written the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence is if we do not have men and women in office and on the bench who protect the documents and preserve the freedom those documents describe.

A perfect example is Rabbi Gutterman and Lee v. Wiesman, the case where a prayer at a graduation was ruled unconstitutional because the Rabbi said the word “God” in the prayer. Those of us who supported prayer at graduations pointed to the actions of the Founding Fathers, such as William Samuel Johnson preaching at graduations. In his opinion, Justice Souter recognized our arguments and said in effect we were right about Founding Fathers praying at public school graduations. He then went on to say it just meant the Founding Fathers did not understand the Constitution. Clearly a ridiculous notion, but it proves the point that we need more than a good document.

If a Supreme Court Justice, like Justice Souter does not care about the intent of the document, we must be vigilant in educating others about the document and the original intent. In order to defend and protect the Constitution, we need men and women in office who care about its true intent. It is our job as citizens to remove the ones who ignore original intent and replace them with those who understand and respect it.

To do that job well, we must become educated and equipped…which is why that was Step One in this series of articles. As you are getting informed, spread the word to others to do the same. Encourage your church to start a “salt and light ministry.” Use WallBuilders materials in your Sunday School class or start The Truth Project at your church (www.thetruthproject.org).

There is so much you can do to add to the discussion and influence the people around you. You just have to get started…today!

Follow Us

Become a Rick Green Insider!

Don’t miss out. Send us your email address, and we’ll make sure to keep you in the loop.

About Rick Green

Rick is one of the most dynamic and inspirational speakers in America today. He equips, empowers and challenges about 100,000 people a year in live audiences and millions more through radio and television.

His moving presentations often include his children, as they help to passionately explain the bedrock principles which led to America’s place as the most successful nation in the history of the world.

About Rick Green

Rick is one of the most dynamic and inspirational speakers in America today. He equips, empowers and challenges about 100,000 people a year in live audiences and millions more through radio and television.
His moving presentations often include his children, as they help to passionately explain the bedrock principles which led to America’s place as the most successful nation in the history of the world.
Read more ...

Endorsements

“When a young speaker like Rick Green gets a standing ovation from thousands of people at one of our 'Get Motivated Seminars,' it’s obvious his message is timely and resonates powerfully with audiences everywhere.”
- Peter Lowe